Electrical transport and optical studies of ferromagnetic Cobalt doped ZnO nanoparticles exhibiting a metal-insulator transition

The observed correlation of oxygen vacancies and room temperature ferromagnetic ordering in Co doped ZnO1-o nanoparticles reported earlier (Naeem et al Nanotechnology 17, 2675-2680) has been further explored by transport and optical measurements. In these particles room temperature ferromagnetic ordering had been observed to occur only after annealing in forming gas. In the current work the optical properties have been studied by diffuse reflection spectroscopy in the UV-Vis region and the band gap of the Co doped compositions has been found to decrease with Co addition. Reflections minima are observed at the energies characteristic of Co+2 d-d (tethrahedral symmetry) crystal field transitions, further establishing the presence of Co in substitutional sites. Electrical transport measurements on palletized samples of the nanoparticles show that the effect of a forming gas is to strongly decrease the resistivity with increasing Co concentration. For the air annealed and non-ferromagnetic samples the variation in the resistivity as a function of Co content are opposite to those observed in the particles prepared in forming gas. The ferromagnetic samples exhibit an apparent change from insulator to metal with increasing temperatures for T>380K and this change becomes more pronounced with increasing Co content. The magnetic and resistive behaviors are correlated by considering the model by Calderon et al [M. J. Calderon and S. D. Sarma, Annals of Physics 2007 (Accepted doi: 10.1016/j.aop.2007.01.010] where the ferromagnetism changes from being mediated by polarons in the low temperature insulating region to being mediated by the carriers released from the weakly bound states in the higher temperature metallic region.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

DYNAMIC THRESHOLDING GA-BASED ECG FEATURE SELECTION IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE DIAGNOSIS

Electrocardiogram (ECG) data are usually used to diagnose cardiovascular disease (CVD) with the help of a revolutionary algorithm. Feature selection is a crucial step in the development of accurate and reliable diagnostic models for CVDs. This research introduces the dynamic threshold genetic algorithm (DTGA) algorithm, a type of genetic algorithm that is used for optimization problems and discusses its use in the context of feature selection. This research reveals the success of DTGA in selecting relevant ECG features that ultimately enhance accuracy and efficiency in the diagnosis of CVD. This work also proves the benefits of employing DTGA in clinical practice, including a reduction in the amount of time spent diagnosing patients and an increase in the precision with which individuals who are at risk of CVD can be identified

The anti-adhesive effect of curcumin on Candida albicans biofilms on denture materials

The use of natural compounds as an alternative source of antimicrobials has become a necessity given the growing concern over global antimicrobial resistance. Polyphenols, found in various edible plants, offers one potential solution to this. We aimed to investigate the possibility of using curcumin within the context of oral health as a way of inhibiting and preventing the harmful development of Candida albicans biofilms. We undertook a series of adsorption experiments with varying concentrations of curcumin, showing that 50 ug/ml could prevent adhesion. This effect could be further synergised by the curcumin pretreatment of yeast cells to obtain significantly greater inhibition (>90, p<0.001). Investigation of the biological impact of curcumin showed that it preferentially affected immature morphological forms (yeast and germlings), and actively promoted aggregation of the cells. Transcriptional analyses showed that key adhesins were down-regulated (ALS1 and ALS3), whereas aggregation related genes (ALS5 and AAF1) were up-regulated. Collectively, these data demonstrated that curcumin elicits anti-adhesive effects and that induces transcription of genes integrally involved in the processes related to biofilm formation. Curcumin and associated polyphenols therefore have the capacity to be developed for use in oral healthcare to augment existing preventative strategies for candidal biofilms on the denture surface

Ferromagnetism in Li doped ZnO nanoparticles: The role of interstitial Li

ZnO nanoparticles doped with Li (Zn1−yLiyO, y ≤ 0.1) have been investigated with emphasis on the correlation between their magnetic, electronic, and structural properties. In particular, defects such as interstitial Li and Zn atoms, substitutional Li atoms, and oxygen vacancies have been identified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) and their respective roles in stabilization of the magnetic moment are discussed. X-ray diffraction(XRD) and XPS give clear evidence of Li presence at both substitutional and interstitial sites. XPS studies further show that the amount of substitutional Li defects (Lizn) and interstitial Li defects (Lii) vary non-monotonically with the Li concentration, with the Lii defects being noticeably high for the y = 0.02, 0.08, and 0.10 concentrations, in agreement with the XRD results. Magnetization studies show room temperature ferromagnetism in these nanoparticles with the moment being largest for the particles with high concentration of interstitial lithium and vice versa. Both interstitialZn(Zni) defects and Zn-O bonds were determined from the Zn LMM Auger peaks; however, the variation of these with Li concentrations was not large. Oxygen vacancies (Vo) concentrations are estimated to be relatively constant over the entire Li concentration range. We relate the Lii and Zni defects to the formation and stabilization of Znvacancies and thus stabilizing the p-type ferromagnetism predicted for cation (zinc)vacancy in the ZnO type oxides

Magnetic response of core-shell cobalt ferrite nanoparticles at low temperature

Cobaltferritenanoparticles (size: 26±4nm) have been synthesized by coprecipitation route. The coercivity of nanoparticles follows a simple model of thermal activation of particle moments over the anisotropy barrier in the temperature range of 30–300K in accordance with Kneller’s law; however, at low temperatures

DYNAMIC THRESHOLDING GA-BASED ECG FEATURE SELECTION IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE DIAGNOSIS

Electrocardiogram (ECG) data are usually used to diagnose cardiovascular disease (CVD) with the help of a revolutionary algorithm. Feature selection is a crucial step in the development of accurate and reliable diagnostic models for CVDs. This research introduces the dynamic threshold genetic algorithm (DTGA) algorithm, a type of genetic algorithm that is used for optimization problems and discusses its use in the context of feature selection. This research reveals the success of DTGA in selecting relevant ECG features that ultimately enhance accuracy and efficiency in the diagnosis of CVD. This work also proves the benefits of employing DTGA in clinical practice, including a reduction in the amount of time spent diagnosing patients and an increase in the precision with which individuals who are at risk of CVD can be identified

Candida albicans biofilm heterogeneity does not influence denture stomatitis but strongly influences denture cleansing capacity

Approximately 20  % of the UK population wear some form of denture prosthesis, resulting in denture stomatitis in half of these individuals. Candida albicans is primarily attributed as the causative agent, due to its biofilm -forming ability. Recently, there has been increasing evidence of C. albicans biofilm heterogeneity and the negative impact it can have clinically; however, this phenomenon has yet to be studied in relation to denture isolates. The aims of this study were to evaluate C. albicans biofilm formation of clinical denture isolates in a denture environment and to assess antimicrobial activity of common denture cleansers against these tenacious communities. C. albicans isolated from dentures of healthy and diseased individuals was quantified using real-time PCR and biofilm biomass assessed using crystal violet. Biofilm development on the denture substratum poly(methyl methacrylate), Molloplast B and Ufi-gel was determined. Biofilm formation was assessed using metabolic and biomass stains, following treatment with denture hygiene products. Although C. albicans was detected in greater quantities in diseased individuals, it was not associated with increased biofilm biomass. Denture substrata were shown to influence biofilm biomass, with poly(methyl methacrylate) providing the most suitable environment for C. albicans to reside. Of all denture hygiene products tested, Milton had the most effective antimicrobial activity, reducing biofilm biomass and viability the greatest. Overall, our results highlight the complex nature of denture- related disease, and disease development cannot always be attributed to a sole cause. It is the distinct combination of various factors that ultimately determines the pathogenic outcome

Synthesis and Biological Activity of Three Novel Azo Dyes

The azo dyes that named, (E)-4-((2-nitrophenyl) diazenyl) benzene-1,3-diol (1), (E)-4- ((3-nitrophenyl) diazenyl) benzene-1,3-diol (2) and (E)-4-((4-nitrophenyl) diazenyl) benzene-1,3-diol (3) were synthesized and then characterized using IR, UV-visible spectrum. These results were compared with that obtained by ChemBio 3D Ultra - [Chem3D XML] Gaussian Interface and were seems to be identical. Then, the antimicrobial activity of each azo dye was carried out against two bacterial strains: Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 6571, and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and fungal strains of Candida albicans using Agar-well diffusion method. The results were showed that the three azo dyes were biologically active and the best reactivity was observed in (2). Though, the biological activity of (1) with NO2 group in ortho- position remained reasonable against Candida albicans. But, the effect of (1) was resisted by Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. However, the (2) and (3) with substituted NO2 group in meta- and para- positions respectively were showed better reactivity’s than (1) towered Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus. Further, the Gaussian interface properties and the conformational analysis of (1), (2) and (3) were intended. The results were indicated that the variations in the properties of each azo dye and their conformational energies of generated conformers can affect their biological activity afterward. Keywords: key words, Azo dyes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Agar-well diffusion method, Antimicrobial activit

EFFECT OF DRINKING IONIZED WATER ON HISTOLOGICAL CHANGES, BACTERIA COUNT, AND SOME HEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF JAPANESE QUAIL

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of drinking ionized water on histological changes, bacteria count, and some hematological parameters of Japanese quail. A total of 200-42-day-old Japanese quails were divided into five treatments. The birds of each treatment were divided into four replicates. The pH level of drinking water of the first treatment was 7, whereas the pH levels of drinking water of other treatments were 8, 9, 6, and 5 respectively. The results showed that villi height, crypt depth, and mucous layer thickness of the duodenum were increased (P<0.05) in T4 and T5. The normal histological structure was observed in the microscopic section of the liver of the treated group. The pH 7 of drinking water led to the depletion of the follicles and an increase in the interfollicular space of birds (Fig4). In addition, there was hemorrhage among the bursal follicles in the bursa of birds that received pH8 drinking water (Fig5). The pH5 of drinking water showed mild lymphoid depletion in the section of the bird bursa (Fig6). Also, the pH9 of drinking water showed large vacuoles in the epithelial layer which support the lymphoid follicles in the section of the bursa (Fig 7). There were thickening and degeneration changes in the capsule with lymphocyte aggregation in birds that received pH9 of drinking water (Fig8). The levels of pH of drinking water affect WBC, Hb, and PCV. Drinking acidic ionized water increased the number of Lactobacilli bacteria and decreased the number of Coliform bacteria. Conclusion: The pH 8 and 5 of drinking water had a positive role in the histological changes, bacterial count, and some hematological parameters of Japanese quail

Efficacy of Albendazole Against Soil-transmitted Helminthiasis among Children in Asia: Systematic Review

BACKGROUND: TheWorld health organization reported that 875 million children worldwide require antihelminth preventive chemotherapy annually. Vast majority of STH infections (67%) and YLDs (68%) occurred in Asia.METHODS: A systematic search was performed for relevant titles, abstract, and keywords from Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Scopus around October 2018 based on the PICO strategy. Out of 173 papers that were evaluated, final assessment for eligibility had yielded a total of five papers to be included for analysis covering period from 2013 to 2018.RESULTS: Of the five selected studies, three were randomized controlled trial, one was cohort and another one was described more like a quasi-experimental trial. All infection intensity showed improvement post-intervention. Four of the five studies used Kato Katz as diagnostic method with one combined it with Baermann techniques. One used McMaster egg counting method. All except one study tested albendazole efficacy in their study either alone or in combination with other chemotherapy such as diethyl carbazide or combining with education pamphlet. Egg reduction rate was reported as low as 63% and as high as 99.9%